Transcript

Transcript for Penman, John, Reminiscences, 1886, 29-30

We then took train for saint Jo’s [Joseph] while traveling between New York and saint Jo’s we were delayed siveral times, the bridges been destroyed by the soildgers as the war was ragin very Strong, then the in 1863 when we arived saint Jos[.] both Boats that was runing had just gone up the river, so part of the company had to stop untill thare return, my self Wife and children wer amongst that part of the company that had to stop untill thare return, we stoped thare Three days, thare we took the boat, up the Missouria [Missouri] river, to a place called florince [Florence] in the steate of Nebraska, when we arrived at that place, thare was a great many teamsters With siveral hundreds of Ox teams wating on us, so after about a week in getting our Lougage [luggage] waighed and every thing right and ready we started on the plains,

we had Not traveled more then three or fower [four] days when I was Run down, by a wild ox, that our captin got to work across the plains from an other man for to take them through to Salt Lake City[.] thare was a pair of these wild Cattle, the teamsters had tryed to yeok up these cattle Siveral times but failed, so while they were out feeding they got away from the body of the heird and went back to whare they came from, three or fower of the teamsters, went Back on horse back for them, so it was was my turn to drive the loose cattle that day, so then as I was driving along I was considerable distince behind the train on the open Praires, when thees teamsters came runing up behind me with thees wild cattle, they were driving them along With whips in hand and on horse back, these cattle weare Fo[a]ming at the mouth like the very divel [devil], I had no place of escapt[.] one of them ran right straight at me I drew my club on it but had very little effect[,] so it run <me> to the ground, one of its feet struck my shoulder and hurt it, but not cerious, many a night did I Lay down by our camp fire and sleep as theare was No room in the wagon, Yes and it was nothing uncommin to hear the wolfs howling around us at night

While coming through Albney [Albany] I bought a double barle gun[,] [only] one barle shot[,] the other rifel which was very useful to me, while crossing the plains. while traveling along the Platt[e] river we got a good many fish, I very often started out ahead of the train with my gun[.] Some times I would get sume Rabbits[,] other times I Would get nothing

one day I remember well as we Were approching what is called the divels [Devil’s] gate I came to a place whare thare was a great many Rabbits hols[.] I had got 3 or 4 Rabbits and I seen an other run in one of these hols, and while I was bussey digging out this rabbit and I could touch it with the ram rod of my gun, here I fortunatly happened to looke around me and but a short distence of thare was some indins riding up to wards me[.] they did not seem to have any thing on but a pair of Buckskin legins and mokinsins[,] thair long black hair flying back over thair shoulders, and thair dark Brown skins, was demond, like to one who had niver seen the like befor, picked up gun and the rabbets lying by my Side and took to my heels, for the train, by this time I thought it must have been siveral miles ahead by this time, but fortunate for me Just over the brow of the hill thare was the train, and the whole company, camped for dinner, Very many incidents might be related in the crossing of the plains, but must forbare,

it was very cold frosty nights before we arrived in Salt Lake City[.] this was on the 13th day of October making in all about 5 months we wear on the journey,